


Always So Unlucky

by wulfeyes08



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Caring Hannibal Lecter, Domestic Fluff, Established Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter, Fluff, Hannibal Lecter Loves Will Graham, M/M, Pneumonia, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Sick Character, Sickfic, Will Graham Loves Hannibal Lecter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:42:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26187403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wulfeyes08/pseuds/wulfeyes08
Summary: “This is not a cold, but you knew that already, didn’t you?”“Look…just…what is it?”Hannibal leaned back from examining him, his stethoscope looped back over his neck. “Pneumonia.”
Relationships: Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Comments: 7
Kudos: 200





	Always So Unlucky

**Author's Note:**

> As you read, you may notice Will's weird speech pattern and this comes from my own experience with lung problems. I'm an asthmatic and have had lung inflammation three times. It's super painful, feels like someone it both squeezing your lungs and stabbing you in them, and talking is hard. It's like every other word needs you to take a breath. My brother also had a horrible case of pneumonia that almost killed him and his description of how it felt, is much the same. 
> 
> Also, if you have any fun requests, let me know.

Will had been sure all he had was a cold. He had all the signs and symptoms; runny nose, sneezing, coughing, and an overall fatigue. However, he soon noticed it had morphed into something worse, and Hannibal had seemed to notice immediately. “It’s just…a cold.” It felt like his chest was being squeezed, like he couldn’t quite catch his breath, and he was freezing. 

“This is not a cold, but you knew that already, didn’t you?”

“Look…just…what is it?”

Hannibal leaned back from examining him, his stethoscope looped back over his neck. “Pneumonia.” 

“How?”

“It’s not uncommon for a cold to become pneumonia under the right circumstances.” He took Will’s face in his hands and pressed their foreheads together. “You’re feverish.” He sighed. “Must you always prove to be so unlucky. I feel I should be keeping track at this point.”

“Very funny.” He rubbed his chest, wishing he could make the ache go away. “Just what I needed…a trip to the hospital.”

“I can only diagnose so far, Will.” He smirked at him. “If you’re good maybe we’ll stop for ice cream.”

“I’m not...a child, Dr. Lecter.”

“That remains to be seen.”

He didn’t bother changing his clothes, too exhausted to even think about it, and Hannibal didn’t push him. He only took the keys away from him, refusing to let him drive when he was “obviously so low on oxygen”. Will sat shivering and coughing in the passenger seat, a headache forming behind his eyes when a particularly bad fit took a hold of him. 

“You need to breathe as deeply as possible, mano meilé.” Hannibal said as he took his hand. 

“I don’t think I can.”

“You can.” Hannibal inhaled slowly. “Follow me.”

Will sucked in as much air as he could, feeling the phlegm in his chest. It hurt, but it was better than the suffocating tightness. “Thank you.”

“Breathing exercises will help you, Will, I can even help you.”

“That sounds…problematic.”

“I promise to be good until you’re better.”

Will cleared his throat, giving a little cough. “I’ll believe it…when I see it.”

~

He was always amazed at how Hannibal managed to fast track them through the hospital. A charming smile here, a flash of his I.D. there, and they were in a room with a doctor. Will was asked about his medical history, a physical exam, x-ray, blood test, and a pulse oximetry test were performed under the watchful eye of Hannibal. “From what we can see, you do in fact have a mild case of pneumonia. Your blood test shows your immune system is fighting the infection. It’s not serious, in fact it seems your husband caught it in its early stages.”

“Do I need…medication?”

“Ibuprofen, cough medicine if you need it, lots of water and rest, and warm beverages and food. You can even take a steamy shower or bath.”

“That’s it?”

“Unless it gets worse. If you notice any changes in your breathing, come back.”

“I’ll make sure he does.” Hannibal added. “He can be quite stubborn when it comes to his health.”

“Me?” Will shot back.

That got a smile from both the doctor and Hannibal. “And I’ll be sure he gets plenty of rest.”

~

Will was relieved when they made it back home, and he went immediately to the back door to let Chesapeake in. The dog greeted him by jumping on him and Hannibal immediately ordered him down. “He’s sick, we have to behave.” He said and Chesapeake let out a little whine. “I know, but it’s for the best.”

“He’s not…bothering me.” Will said. 

“You need to be in bed.”

“I’m fine…on the couch.”

“May I remind you, that I do have the ability to carry you and I will do so if you insist on being stubborn.” Will started to argue, but Hannibal held up a hand, silencing him. “If you can force me to sleep after catching the flu, then I can only repay the favor.” 

“I…”

“Am I going to have to carry you?”

Will felt himself flush. “No…I’ll go.”

“Very good, get settled, be good, and I’ll reward you with something delicious.”

Chesapeake followed him to the bedroom, hopping up next to him when he climbed under the covers, curling close and dropping his head on Will’s hip. “Good boy.” He scratched the dog behind his ear. “A lot…less bossy…than Hannibal.” He started coughing again, his chest aching with the effort. A few minutes later, Hannibal came in with a cup of tea and Will sat up. “What kind?”

“Licorice root, with honey. It should help ease your cough.” He handed it over.

“Thank you.”

“How does soup sound for lunch?”

Will paused mid sip. “It’s not…going to be…that awful garbage from before…is it?”

“No, something much better.” He felt Will’s forehead. “After, you should sleep.”

“Yeah, okay.” He was left to finish his tea.

He didn’t feel like eating, he didn’t feel like anything, but he knew the consequences of him not eating. Hannibal wouldn’t let him go hungry, even if it meant angering him to make him eat. The bedroom door had been left open, so the smell of food wafted up to him, causing his stomach to do a little twist of protestation. Hannibal brought a tray with two bowls, shooing Chesapeake off the bed so he could sit it down. 

“I thought we would eat together.”

“Smells good.” The smell really wasn’t agreeing with him, and all he could do was stare down at his bowl. He could feel he was being watched, so he picked up his spoon. “Sorry.”

“Take your time.” He dropped down on the other side of the tray and lifted his own bowl.

He managed to keep the first few bites down, but at some point, his stomach couldn’t handle it anymore and he found himself quickly sitting his bowl down and nearly falling as he scrambled off the bed for the bathroom. His stomach emptied itself, and he felt a hand rest against his back as Hannibal squatted down beside him. He took a deep breath, his chest aching. “Sorry, I couldn’t.”

“We can try again later.”

Will reached up and flushed the toilet and was helped to his feet. He rinsed his mouth out and brushed his teeth, feeling more exhausted than he had before. Hannibal got him back to bed, moved the food, then retrieved some Ibuprofen and water. He was relieved that the little sip of water he took stayed down. “Thank you.” He laid back, sinking into the mattress. “Sorry wasted...your food.” 

“You shouldn’t worry about things out of your control.” 

“Are you saying…I should stop worrying…about you?”

“I’ve never been out of your control, mano meilé.” 

That caught him by surprise and Will caught his hand as he started to leave the room, no doubt to clean up the kitchen. “Wait.” Hannibal turned back, eyes questioning and concerned. “Stay?” Was all that came out.

A gentle smile crossed his lips. “Of course, whatever you need.”

~

With Hannibal’s care, the breathing exercises they did together, and being put on bed rest, Will’s pneumonia was gone after a month of what he could only call torture. It was a relief being able to breathe and sleep and eat without coughing or vomiting. He wanted to let that doctor know that “mild” didn’t begin to cover how horrible it had been. 

“I sometimes wonder what you think when you go away like that.” Will blinked and looked up at Hannibal who was standing there holding a cup of coffee out to him. He hadn't realized he had zoned out.

“Just thinking.”

“Dare I ask about what?”

“How lucky I am to have someone as irritatingly bossy as you.”

“So good things.”

Will smiled as he took his cup. “Yes, good things.” Hannibal sat next to him. “Thank you for forcing me to take it easy for nearly a month.”

“It would have been a full one, if you weren’t so spoiled.”

“Yeah well,” he lifted the cup, pausing at his lips, “you enjoy spoiling me, so I doubt it was that bad.”

“I think we need to have a talk about that mouth of yours.”

“I think we can do that later when we’re not working.”

“If we must.” Hannibal leaned over, kissing his temple. “No more getting sick.”

“I promise to try.”


End file.
